General Information
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Courses meet from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM each day. Upon completion, participants receive a Certificate, 1 College Credit which equates to 1.5 Continuing Education Units (CEU).
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Courses are graded on a pass/fail basis. In order to receive a passing grade each student must have full attendance and participation.
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The tuition for in-state students is $88.65 for 1 credit hour.
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The cost for 2 lunches and breaks for the two days will be $20 payable on the first day of the seminar by check or cash only
OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS:
The tuition fee indicated above is for in-state students. Tuition fees are higher for out-of-state students. A contract with your in-state company or agency will be required.
How to Register
Contact Lydia Cox at 434-292-3101 or by e-mail at Lydia.cox@southside.edu . You will receive a registration packet in the mail. Please return the completed packet and payment by the due date of two weeks before the class start date. Upon your acceptance for course enrollment, you will receive a confirmation with a class outline. Courses have a minimum limit of 10 and a maximum of 30 participants.
Pumps and Controls for Onsite Wastewater Systems
Instructor: Tom Joy
Date(s) Offered: September 18-19, 2008
Location: Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training
Course Description:
This course provides an overview of the kinds of sewage and effluent pumps used in onsite systems, their characteristics, operating principles, and how they are controlled. The theory of pump curves is explained. The concepts of head and pump capacity are presented, and the way they are used with pump curves to select an appropriate pump is demonstrated. The course examines how float switches and control panels operate, how they allow pumps to be controlled by pump tank effluent levels, and the principles of control system design. Course participants will learn to select the proper pump for their pump-to-gravity or enhanced flow system, and how to configure the control systems appropriately. Theory is related to practical application whenever possible, and example calculations and problems are used extensively. Principles learned in the course are used to demonstrate how to properly complete pump permit and pump system plans and specifications forms.
Required: Calculator with exponent capability, Calculation pad
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Understanding Water Movement in Soils
Instructor: Larry Johnson
Date(s) Offered: October 23-24, 2008
Location: Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training
Course Description:
This course will teach the student basic concepts of water movement in soil as applied to on-site wastewater disposal and other infiltration practices such as stormwater management. The course will begin with an overview of water balance, landscapes, types of aquifers, saturated and unsaturated flow characteristics, preferential flow pathways, and characteristics of the capillary zone. We will study the characteristics of water flow after it enters the soil through the ground surface, infiltration trenches, and boreholes. The effects of contrasting earthen layers and soil horizons on water movement will be examined. The principals of hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic gradient and the applicability of Darcy=s Law to infiltration and shallow ground water movement will be discussed.
Hydraulic gradient is a critical element in designing infiltration systems, yet is often ignored or poorly understood in the design of wastewater disposal and stormwater infiltration systems. Concepts of pressure head, elevation head, and total head will be introduced. Groundwater mounding and the effect of flow limitations resulting from restrictive boundary conditions will be examined. Physical flow models will be utilized to demonstrate and explain the principals of water movement under saturated and unsaturated conditions, in the capillary zone below the water table, and above the water table. Course participants will solve example problems in determining hydraulic gradient, hydraulic conductivity, and infiltration rates.
A discussion of commonly-used field hydraulic conductivity testing methods, practical testing procedures, and testing validity will be presented. Soils often have a wide range of physical characteristics that result in permeability variations of several orders of magnitudes over short distances. We will discuss how these variations affect field saturated hydraulic conductivity testing results and how cumulative test results should be averaged to obtain appropriate design infiltration or loading rates.
Course participants will engage in hands-on training with a constant-head bore hole permeameter, learn the techniques of borehole preparation, permeameter setup, and recording of data. We will discuss how to properly interpret test results and how boundary conditions such as impermeable layers, soil horizons, and the water table can affect both test results and how the results should be applied to system design. If weather permits, the field part of this exercise will be conducted outside.
Suggested Preparation:
It is suggested that the student review basic concepts and definitions of water movement and groundwater hydrology prior to the class. Basic concepts and term definitions can be found in various soil and ground water texts and on internet web sites.
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Construction Inspection
Instructors: Danna Revis and Trapper Davis
Date(s) Offered: October 14-15, 2008
Location: Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training
Course Description:
This course covers the principles of conducting construction inspections for onsite sewage disposal systems based on Virginia standards. We will cover the minimum construction requirements as well as best practice in construction of trench based sewage systems. For pumps and non-trench based technologies, we will cover suitable materials, installation techniques and the basics of functional testing, however, the details of design principles for pumps and non trench based systems are left to subsequent course offerings.
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Wastewater 101
Instructors: Anish Jantrania and Bennette Burks
Date(s) Offered: December 3-4, 2008
Location: Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training
Course Description:
Understanding wastewater is a necessity for all practitioners working in the onsite industry because the fundamental objective of using onsite wastewater systems is to provide for adequate and necessary treatment of the wastewater such that adverse impact on public health and environmental quality are minimized or eliminated from discharge of onsite wastewater systems. Onsite wastewater systems are now viewed as a permanent part of our wastewater infrastructure; thus it is important for all of us to understand what wastewater is and how it can be treated using the science and technologies currently available.
Understanding of wastewater starts with understanding the water-cycle. Water is an amazing commodity on our planet and there is a finite amount of water available to us. This course will start with a presentation on interesting facts about water and then based on the legal definition of the term “Pollution,” details on wastewater basics, wastewater characterization, and wastewater treatment will be presented. Wastewater quantity and quality issues will be covered during the discussion on wastewater characterization. The course will provide a basic understanding of wastewater treatment principles such as separation/settling, suspended/attached growth, and aerobic/anaerobic treatment processes. Complete wastewater treatment can be achieved by combining the treatment before and treatment after discharge. Typically onsite wastewater treatment systems will discharge effluent into soil/land based effluent dispersal systems as opposed to discharges into surface water. The level of treatment necessary after discharge primarily depends on the level of treatment achieved before discharge. This course will conclude with remarks on how to use soil/land based effluent dispersal technologies to achieve the treatment levels necessary after discharge. The discussion and presentations in this course will be limited to residential and commercial wastewater characteristics and onsite treatment.
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Effluent Dispersal Systems
Instructors: Anish Jantrania and Peter Brooks
Date(s) Offered: November 19-20, 2008
Location: Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training
Course Description:
This course provides students with an overview of the VPDES Permit program for surface discharge systems; types of land-based effluent discharging systems and surface discharge systems for single family home application. Types of subsurface discharge systems and non-liquid discharge systems are discussed. Students learn how the VPDES permit program works, gain an understanding the concept of effluent limitations and land-based effluent dispersal systems, and become familiar with surface (aerosol and non-aerosol) dispersal systems, and subsurface (below grade, at-grade and above grade) dispersal systems. Non-liquid dispersal systems (solid and gaseous) will also be reviewed.
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Designing with Easy/FAST CAD
Instructors: Trapper Davis
Date(s) Offered: August 12-13, 2008
Location: Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training
Course Description:
This course explains the basic principles of use for the popular EasyCAD design software on a PC. Students will apply these principles in simple exercises applicable to the design of onsite wastewater treatment systems.
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If you have any comments or suggestions concerning our enrollment/registration process, please contact Dennis Smith by E-Mail at Dennis.Smith@southside.edu or (434) 736-2008.
Ideas? Suggestions? Interested in Teaching?
Please help us by sending your input on how we can make this program better. Contact John Aulbach at john.aulbach@vdh.virginia.gov
